Switch and signal lock.



No. 638,515. Patented Dec; l2, I899.

F. C. DURAN, Decd.

B. H. DURAN, Administratrix. SWITCH AND SIGNAL LUCK.

(Application filed Dec. 22, 1898.)

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PATENT FFICE EELLE ll. DORAN, OF OIIIOAGQ ILLINOIS, ADMINISTRATRIX OFFRANK C. DORAN, DECEASED.

SWITCH AND SIGNAL LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,915, dated December12, 1899. Application filed December 22, 1898. Serial No. 700,056. iNomodel.)

To (t/IZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that FRANK O. DORAN, deceased, late a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, didinvent a new and useful improve ment in Switch and Signal Locks, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved interlocking mechanism for useparticularly be- IO tween the movable rails of railroad-trackssuch as.switch-rails, derails, movable frogs, or the like-and the signals thatgovern the movement of engines or trains over said movable rails.

' The object of the invention is primarily, in

the practical operation of switches, derails, and signals, to preventthe possibility of giving an incorrect signal to an engine or train. Thedevice serves also to securely lock the movable rail or rails inposition for train-pas sage while the signal is at the safety positionand releases the same only upon the signal being thrown to danger. Theinterlocking mechanism shown is for use in connection withdouble-semaphore signals.

The above object is accomplished by eX- tending directly between theswitch, derail, or the like and the double signal an improved lockingconnection which is separate from and 0 independent of the connectionswhich extend from the counterweight-bar of the signal to the lever whichoperates the signal. This independent direct locking connectionpreferably consists of three principal parts, two of 3 5 these beingrigid movable members and one of them a fixed member. One movable partis connected to the movable rail of the track and is operated thereby,and the other movable part is connected to the signal or sema- 0 phorearm and is operated thereby, the two movable parts forming a junctionand looking together at and through the fixed connection. Theimprovement relates particularly to the locking connection between therailactuated and the se1naphore-actuated rigid members.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the application of the improvedlocking device to switch-rails.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective showing the lockingdevice applied to a switch and a signal having a double semaphore; Fig.2, an enlarged broken vertical section parallel to the track, showingdetails of the connections at the base of the signalstandard; and Fig.3, an enlarged broken section at right angles to the track.

A A represent the fixed rails of a track, [-3 switch-rails attached to ashifting-bar O, which moves in suitable guides (not shown) and normallyconnects with the mechanism for throwing the switch, and E aconnectingbar (shown as an extension of the bar 0) attached to theswitch-rails, and for the purpose of affording a connection for thelocking device, extending beyond the farther rail, where it has pivotalconnection (not shown) with a rod G F is a semaphore-standard of commonconstruction, provided with semaphores F F pivoted between their ends tothe standard and connected at their short arms by means of rods F I topivoted counterweight-arms F 1 The semaphores are raised and lowered bymeans of suitably-attached cables or wires am, running to the tower.(Not shown.)

The locking device comprises a movable part G, actuated by the bar E,stationary guide-blocks H H, secu red to the standard F, andvertically-movable bars I 1, (shown as downward extensions of the bars F1 actuated by the semaphores.

The part Gconsists of a bell-crank G, piv

voted at a the link G connecting one arm of the bell-crank to theadjacent end of the bar E, and a connecting-rod G pivotally joined atone end to the free arm of the bell-crank.

F represents the upper or main-track semaphore, and F the lower orside-track semaphore. The connecting-rod G is pivotally 0 joined at itsfree end to the lower end of a rock-beam G which in turn is pivotallysupported at its center on a bracket G The plunger G which serves tolock the upper or main-track semaphore, is joined by a link to the upperend of the beam G and a plunger G which moves in a guide-block H andserves to lock the lower semaphore, is joined by a link to the lower endof the rock-beam. The normal position of the switch, as shown :00 in thedrawings, closes the main track. In this position, it will be observed,the plnngerGr is withdrawn, leaving the upper semaphore free to bedropped, while the lower semaphore islocked at danger by the plungerGflwhicn guards the side track. When the upper semaphore is dropped tosafety, a vertical face of the bar I (here shown in the form of twopivotally-connected rigid bars) engages the end of the plunger G andlocks the switch in the main-track position. Similarly when the switchis set for side track the upper semaphore is locked and the lowerportion of the jointed bar I in the guide-block II locks the switch inthe side-track position. In Fig. 1 the wires a are suitably connected tothe counterweight arms to serve for lowering them, thereby raising thesemaphores, while the wires a are suitably connected to serve forlowering the semaphores.

It will be understood that the bar 0 is actuated in the usual or anysuitable manner. The usual method is to connect it with a bellcrank,which in turn has connection with a pipe or other rigid member extendingto the tower. These parts are not shown, as they are well known in theart.

The important fact to be noted is that the semaphore to the track whichchances to be open is always looked in the extended or dange-r position,while the switch is at the same time locked by the depending bar of thecleartraek semaphore in a closed or safe position. Only by setting thecleartrack signal at danger is the switch released to permit it to beshifted, and only by the actual shifting of the switch is the semaphoreof the newlycleared track unlocked to permit it to be lowered to asafety position.

Any suitable means for properly adjusting the throws of the variousmovable parts may be provided. In the drawings the arms of thebell-crank G are shown provided for the purpose with holes drilled ashort distance apart, and the parts may be made adjustable throughout.

The device is usefully applied not only to an ordinary mechanicalinterlocking plant such as described, but also to electropneuated by thesemaphores and provided with perforations, guides for said bars, apivoted bell-crank linked at one arm to the rail, a connecting-rodjoined to the free arm of the bell-crank, a pivotally-supportedrock-beam joined to said connecting-rod, and plungers joined to saidrock-beam at opposites sides of its pivotal point for engaging saidbars, substan tially as and for the purpose set forth.

BELLE II. DORAN, Administrctlriw 0 f F ra R70 0. Doran, deceased.

In presence of- D. W. LEE, R. T. SPENCER.

